Morocco promotes a plan to attract talent abroad to boost domestic growth
Through legal and institutional channels, Rabat is seeking to attract Moroccan talents abroad to benefit from their experience and use their expertise in the Kingdom's ongoing development. This plan to attract talent working in international companies and institutions is in line with the directives of King Mohammed VI.
On 20 August 2022, the Moroccan monarch called for ‘establishing a structural relationship with competent Moroccan project managers living abroad’, as well as ‘a special mechanism to accompany them and support their initiatives and projects, as the Moroccan community abroad is known for its availability of international expertise in various fields: scientific, economic, political, cultural, sporting and others’.
‘This is a source of pride for Morocco and for all Moroccans. The time has come to allow it to live up to the necessary circumstances and capabilities, to give its best for the benefit of the country and its development,’ the king added.
According to Al-Arab, in order to motivate and support the return of a large number of dual nationals who hold certificates in various specialisations, specifically in the digital field, the Moroccan government seeks to involve national and foreign-based talents in the design and implementation of the ‘special mechanism to mobilise Moroccans’, by proposing measures that would respond to the expectations and aspirations of these groups, in addition to creating a space for the exchange of experiences, ideas and initiatives.
As a recent World Bank report confirms, Morocco has embarked on ‘a major reform programme’ and supports ‘a growth model for job creation through the private sector’. ‘Morocco has also developed a policy to keep pace with skills and talent from abroad,’ it adds.
For his part, Ismail Maghari, secretary general of the Sector for Moroccans Residing Abroad under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Moroccans living abroad receive special attention and care from the king, indicating that the new direction of the sector is based on the need to raise the level of services aimed at this category and improve the level of management and improve governance, as well as the establishment of structural relations with Moroccan talent living abroad with the aim of facilitating their participation in the implementation of development projects in Morocco.
Under royal supervision, Morocco encourages Moroccan youth and entrepreneurs living abroad to benefit from the numerous investment opportunities, as well as the incentives and guarantees granted by the new investment charter.
In this regard, the secretary general of the Moroccan Community Council, Abdallah Boussouf, stressed the need for scientific research in Morocco to be more open to scientific knowledge and advanced technologies in the world.
Speaking to Al-Arab, Boussouf stressed the importance of including foreign talents in national development in order to make their contribution to the Kingdom's development projects a success.
Boussouf recalled that ‘after providing the legal, economic and social framework to attract talent and develop public policies aimed at them in order to strengthen their contribution to national projects, comes the issue of rationalisation and good governance, coordinating efforts and facilitating communication’. ‘Attracting migrant talent also requires measures at the legislative level, especially in the areas of education, housing, social and health care coverage, professional status and recognition of qualifications and experience gained,’ he explained.
To address this issue in more depth, the 12th edition of the Diwan Awards was organised last May, focusing on the skills of the Moroccan community living in Belgium and highlighting their work, the values they possess and their positive contribution to society. This meeting was attended by the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, and the Moroccan Ambassador to Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
